Clifford C. Sims, Medal of Honor Hero of Kunu-ri, Korea

Dec 20 , 2025

Clifford C. Sims, Medal of Honor Hero of Kunu-ri, Korea

Clifford C. Sims crawled through razor wire and mud with one arm shredded, pain ripping through what was left of his strength. The enemy fire was relentless—machine guns chattering death inches away. His unit was pinned, bleeding out in the mud. But Sims didn’t stop. He pulled himself forward, every inch a battle for life and soul. The hill had to be taken. His brothers depended on it.

Blood and Bone: The Making of a Warrior

Clifford C. Sims was born May 18, 1929, in Limon, Colorado—a hard land for a hard man. Raised in a devout household, faith was his backbone long before the uniform. The Bible was not just a book, but a guide for the fight inside and out.

A farm boy toughened by dirt and sweat, Sims enlisted in the Army with a grit forged by the Great Depression and World War II’s shadow. His moral compass was clear—duty first, no matter the cost. Faith and honor weren’t abstract ideals; they were his shield and sword.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

That verse carried him through the hell of Korea.

The Hill They Called ‘Suicide’

November 29, 1950. A name that should never fade. Sims, a corporal in Company B, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, faced a brutal Chinese offensive near Kunu-ri. The terrain was a frozen nightmare—cliffs, trenches, and a bitter wind as biting as enemy gunfire.

When the enemy surged, it wasn’t just a battle for ground—it was a fight for survival. Amid collapsing lines and shouts of dying men, Sims was struck multiple times by grenade fragments and gunfire. His body screaming to stop, he kevertheless rose. Bleeding and broken, he charged forward alone.

He silenced two machine gun nests with grenades and rifle fire. Each step cemented the defense and turned the tide. His courage rekindled the faltering spirits of those who thought the hill was lost.

Despite his wounds, Sims refused evacuation. His presence was a steel anchor. He manned a machine gun until enemy numbers forced a withdrawal under cover of darkness. When his unit finally pulled back, every man survived.

The Medal of Honor: Valor Beyond the Call

For his gallantry, Clifford C. Sims received the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest recognition for battlefield heroism. The citation tells a story of “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty.” His determination “inspired his comrades to repel the enemy.”

General Matthew Ridgway commended his "extraordinary heroism," marking Sims as one of the few whose actions changed the course of an American engagement in Korea[^1].

His comrades remembered him as steadfast—a quiet lion who led from the front at the cost of his own flesh. One fellow soldier said,

“Sims didn’t stop for pain. He fought like a man who knew he was raising the shield for his brothers. He never asked if it was fair—he just did his job.”

A Legacy Written in Blood and Faith

Sims’ story is a testament, carved deep into the scars of history and lit by faith. Warriors remember him not just for the medals but for the unyielding spirit to overcome what should have broken him.

Sacrifice is not the absence of fear. It is the refusal to let it rule you. Sims captures that truth with every inch of bloodied resolve. A broken, bleeding man leading a charge that saved lives—there is no greater redemption.

His legacy teaches us: courage is a choice—made in moments dark and desperate, fueled by something beyond flesh. The words of Paul echo in his fight:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13

Clifford C. Sims didn’t die on that hill—not really. He lives on in every soldier who presses forward, wounded but unyielding. In every soul who rises despite the weight. His story is not just Korean War history—it’s a call to never quit.

[^1]: Department of the Army, Medal of Honor citation archive; Matthews, Matt. Korea: The Forgotten War. U.S. Army Center of Military History.